The survival knife has become as important to the underwater demolition or "Seal" team member as his hands in carrying out his hazardous duties. He would never go on a mission without it. Military pilots and sportsmen also find the survival knife aptly named since its multiple uses all related to survival have caused it to earn its name.
Typically, the survival knife is an extremely high quality steel bladed fixed handle knife with, in addition to its cutting edge and point, two sets of serrations on the upper edge of the blade. A first set of serrations, each in the order of 1/8 inch in length is designed to provide a metal or wire cutting saw. Rearward of the first set of serrations are a series of rearward extending teeth of approximately 3/8 inch spacing and 1/4 quarter inch across. These last serrations or teeth when hardened provide a rugged wood saw capable of rapidly severing wooden obstructions.
The handle of survival knives often are round and hollow. The handle is often separated from the blade by a hand guard or quillon similar to fixed bladed knives through the centuries. The quillon may take many shapes but is designed to insure separation of the user's hand from the blade and to assure that any object contacted by the blade does not reach the user's hand. The end or pommel of the handle often will carry a ring for securing a lanyard which is often looped around the user's wrist to insure that the knife will not be lost if dropped. The survival knife is often carried in a sheath which may be worn on the belt but often strapped to the user's leg to be out of the way until needed. Sheaths for survival knives therefore usually have more than one form of attachment and usually have a belt strap at the top and a leg strap at the bottom to securely hold the sheath and survival knife to the thigh. Some have two pair of leg straps which hold the survival knife and sheath on the lower leg.
As capable as the conventional survival knife may be, as found, I felt that significent improvements could be made while maintaining all of the features which it already furnished.